2014-069 - Final Environmental Impact Report No. 2014-01

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HARBOR BLVD. MIXED USE TRANSIT CORRIDOR PLAN FINAL FIR CITY OF SANTA ANA 7. Alternatives to the Proposed Project improvements, accessibility and safety to create and activate the street scene. Aesthetic impacts would be less than significant under this alternative; however, impacts would be greater than the proposed project because the aesthetic quality of the area would be enhanced by implementation of the Harbor Corridor Plan. 7.4.2 Air Quality Under this alternative, demolition, grading, soil export, and building construction would continue to occur as individual projects are approved in accordance with the City's General Plan and NHSP. Therefore, short term construction impacts would be similar to the proposed project. Operational impacts would be less than the project because buildout of the NHSP would result in a decrease in vehicle trips. However, development would not occur with the guidance of a comprehensive plan for the area that encourages pedestrian activity, and therefore reliance on cars will be perpetuated. The reduction in residential units within an area with existing and potential employment opportunities would result in the loss of potential to increase internal trip capture, which may offset the decrease in vehicle trips as compared to the project. The decrease in traffic would reduce air emissions, however, the emissions would still exceed the SCAQMD thresholds and impacts would remain significant and unavoidable. 7.4.3 Cultural Resources This alternative would allow development and redevelopment to occur in accordance with the NHSP. The excavation required to build out the area would result in similar potential to encounter archeological or paleontological during grading. Therefore, impacts to cultural resources would be similar to the proposed project. Upon implementation of Mitigation Measure 3 -1, potential impacts to cultural resources would be less than significant. 7.4.4 Geology and Soils Geology and soils impacts would be similar to the project. Although the site would be developed with fewer housing units, there would be a substantial increase of commercial uses. Overall, the development area would be similar, except under the proposed project the Conventional Zoning Area is assumed to remain under its existing uses. Therefore, construction on soils that have the potential to experience liquefaction, subsidence, or expansion would be similar to the project. However, under both scenarios, potential impacts related to geology and soils would be less than significant without mitigation. 7.4.5 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Under this alternative, redevelopment of the project area in accordance with the NHSP would generate less GHG emissions as compared to the proposed project because it would reduce vehicle trips. However, it would not reduce VMT because it would not place additional housing near employment and encourage pedestrian friendly modes of travel. Therefore, GHG emissions would be less than the proposed project and would result in a significant impact. October 2014 Page 7 -5